G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #14

“Destro Attacks”

Writer: Larry Hama
Penciller: Mike Vosburg

Summary

In the sunken bunker, Snake-Eyes, Kwinn and Dr. Venom are shown to be alive and well! They work together to escape the bunker, but Dr. Venom cracks Kwinn’s head with a wrench. The left-over Cobra “mercenaries” from last issue hold Snake-Eyes and Venom at gunpoint.

Back at the Pit, the Joes have dissected the planted information they found last issue. Specifically a micro-dot on a document that contained a map to Springfield, Vermont. The Joes mobilize to Springfield to check it out. Meanwhile, Cobra Commander and the Baroness have departed for Vermont to perform an experiment with Dr. Venom’s toxin.

In Cobra Central, Destro reveals his switcheroo: he ordered the micro-dot map switched with legitimate information, so the Joes would go to Vermont and capture the Commander. Destro freaks when he realizes that the Baroness is piloting the Commander there. Destro quickly assembles a team of Cobra para-troopers and races to Vermont. CC and the Baroness inject a Cobra volunteer with Venom’s toxin, but he quickly drops dead– Dr. Venom didn’t give Cobra the full serum!

Destro’s troops arrive and engage the Joes in a quick firefight outside the Arbco Furniture Company. Cobra Commander and the Baroness fly away, Destro escapes and Ace (in the Skystriker) bombs the Furniture Company. Scar-Face mistakenly believes that Destro trekked all that way to save the Commander.

Notes:

• In escaping the bunker, Kwinn channels the “Spirit of the otter” (to swim), the “Spirit of the bear” (for strength) and the “spirit of the weasel” (to outwit or out-weasel Dr. Venom).
• Destro reveals that he has leverage over Scar-Face because he knows all the “secrets of his (Scar-Face’s) past”. We were never told of Scar-Face’s past, so there’s probably a sh*tty “Scar-Face: Declassified” on the horizon. *fart*
• Stalker sure recovered quickly from that croc attack, as he and Gung Ho scout the town of Springfield on foot. (The croc had bitten Stalker in the leg).
• First time we’ve seen “Arbco”, an anagram of Cobra. It would be re-used countless times throughout the series. Strange that the Joes would conveniently forget this fact after this issue.
• Important to note that this “Springfield” was NOT the main “Springfield”. Alot of fans were confused and just assumed that this was. Wouldn’t make sense that the Cobras would FLY there, if it was.
• The Cobra paratroopers all have special logos on their helmets: the Cobra insignia with little wings on it.
• The original micro-dot map (the Commander’s version) placed the location of “Cobra Central” as being under the Chaplain’s Assistant School in Ft. Wadsworth–the Joes’ home base. One of those funny coincidences that Hama liked to use.
• Once again, we’re shown the Commander’s favorite hobby: target shooting with a machine gun.
• The Joes actually take a transport chopper to Vermont. Piloted by Wild Bill, it picks them up on a baseball diamond. The Joes drive the APC onto the field and interrupt a game between the Chaplain’s Assistants and the Permanent Latrine Orderlies. Funny.
• Clutch continues his little adversarial/flirtatious riff with Scarlett.
• Ace appears to be leading a squadron of 4 Skystrikers.
• This issue was promoted with a TV commercial. The footage of which would be re-used for toy commercials for Destro, the Skystriker and the APC. The toy commercial started another tradition: whatever new Cobra character or thingie was introduced, it was always worked into the song as “a dangerous new foe….. (dum-dum)..of G.I. Jooooooeee!”.

Appearances:

Characters (with figures): Hawk, Scarlett, Breaker, Stalker, Gung-Ho, Doc, Rock n’ Roll, Grunt, Zap, Clutch, Wild Bill, Ace, Cobra Commander, Destro,

Characters (no action figures, or “comic-only” characters): Baroness, Scar-Face, Kwinn, Dr. Venom

Vehicles and stuff (toys): APC, Skystriker
Vehicles and stuff (not toys): Cobra “pogo plane”

Firsties:
Characters: Ace
Vehicles: Skystriker, APC

Rating: 3 Flag Points